Staying safe abroad

If I’m honest I’ve always taken the subject of travel insurance a little lightly. I understand what it’s for but it kind of feels like a waste of money as I assure myself it won’t be needed. However, after our holiday in April 2017 to Fuerteventura I have completely changed my opinion of travel insurance and wouldn’t dare travel without out it and here’s why…

In April 2017 we travelled to Fuerteventura with the kids and Matt’s dad. Now Matt’s dad is as active as you like and is always keeping himself busy with some project or another. We often joke he needs to slow down but does he ever? No! Well – after what happened on holiday he doesn’t really have a choice now.

It was late one evening and Matt and I were watching the live entertainment in the hotel and trying to keep an eye on the older kids as they danced with their newly found holiday friends. Elsie was getting a little tetchy and tired and so Matt’s dad offered to walk around with the pushchair and try and get her to sleep until we were ready to leave. Ten minutes later and we were ready for our beds and so we set off to find the father in law.

As we entered the hotel lobby there he was with a crowd of people around him and Elsie was snoozing away in the pram. According to an onlooker Matt’s dad has suddenly gone over on his ankle and landed, quite heavily, on the hard floor of the hotel reception. Thankful the pram remained upright at all times.

We managed to get him back to his room by supporting him between us but it was evident he’d done some serious damage. The next day he ended up at a GP surgery which set him back hundreds of pounds purely for enough pain relief to be able to walk and make it through the last few days. It turned out, upon further inspection, he’d actually snapped his achilles heel!

Thankfully Matt’s dad had travel insurance in place and he managed to make a full claim of the costs which amounted to almost £1,000 just for a couple of consultations and pain relieving drugs. Can you imagine the costs had he needed an operation? It really doesn’t bare thinking about.

I’m now an insurance nut and have made Matt check our bank account policies to check we do get a full and comprehensive travel insurance. It’s pretty obvious, when you think about it, how important travel insurance is; after all you drink more on holiday, sit in the sun longer and spend time in water. It’s really a recipe for disaster if you don’t look after yourself and fellow travellers.